Evan makes an almighty contribution for Coleraine

The on-loan Derry City forward helped inspire Coleraine to an opening day win over Cliftonville thanks to his first half brace, which earned him the Man of the Match award in the process.

The 20-year-old is clearly thriving at The Showgrounds and is hoping this is only the start of things to come this season.

“I have settled in well” said McLaughlin.

“As I have said before, when I came through the door I just felt really welcomed and I settled in really fast.

“Everybody around the club has been brilliant and I’m loving it here already.

“I’m hoping for more of the same against Portadown as well.

“I’m just hoping for more every week, but I’m staying focused and let’s see what else I can bring.”

McLaughlin showed great composure with his two goals against the Reds as the Bannsiders turned their dominance into three valuable points in the scorching Showgrounds heat.

“The first goal I sort of guessed when the ball came in and lucky enough the left-back missed it and I got in,” explained McLaughlin.

“I just gambled really but thankfully it fell to me and I put it into the net.

“My second goal I gambled as well because when we were pressing I was hoping they would make a mistake and thankfully they did.

“My first thought was to run towards the goal and score, which thankfully I did.”

As for the roasting temperatures McLaughlin joked he had acclimatised himself in a very novel way.

“It was roasting but I’m well used to that heat with the sunbeds anyway,” he laughed,

“So yeah it was alright and I got used to it.”

McLaughlin helped raise the temperature with his sparkling performance and boss Oran Kearney is relishing working with the player this year.

“We will take the shackles off him here,” he said.

“I love working with players like that where he has a smile on his face, his shoulders are back and I said to him before the game he would’ve been sitting here wondering if he would get on two months, whereas now you’re on and to take his frustration out there on the pitch.

“To be fair to him, I hope that’s just the start of it.”

Last week’s win over Cliftonville was a big result for the Bannsiders in more ways than one.

Kearney handed league debuts to five of his new recruits, who showed their qualities, nuch to the delight of their manager.

“I think hunger is the big thing,” Kearney said ahead of this afternoon’s visit to Portadown.

“Hunger is something we’d talk about quite a bit in the changing room.

“I think hunger in sport and in life is something that is really, really important.

“Our biggest success stories with people in the past are those who have a point to prove and go out and prove people wrong,” added the Bannsiders boss.